Fortuitous Revenge
by Shi-Toyu
Summary: For Tony, it had started out as a way to get back at Clint for bringing his father up in front of Cap...he's not sure what made Loki agree to it. FrostIron.
1. Chapter 1

A/N: I've been meaning to write this one for a while. I hope you all enjoy!

Disclaimer: Still own nothing.

Fortuitous Revenge

Loki snickered behind his hand, but it was one of actual amusement and not one that clearly meant you had fallen into his trap. Tony Stark could barely believe it. His day had begun with Clint purposely bringing up Howard in front of Steve just to piss Tony off and was apparently ending with a surprisingly pleasant dinner with a supervillain. Even with a life as odd as his, Tony hadn't seen this one coming.

Tony didn't even know what he'd done to piss the archer off in the first place. Okay, that was a lie. He knew exactly what he'd done.

"_Tony!"_

_The genius ducked behind his coffee mug as his teammate stormed into the communal kitchen. It wasn't that he thought the piece of ceramic would actually _hide_ him, it was just his natural reaction. Still, he felt a little betrayed when Clint's angry glare settled on him._

"_What the Hell did you do to my bow?!"_

_Tony had never reacted well to accusations and that definitely sounded like an accusation. He could almost feel the classic Stark Snark rear its ugly head._

"_I fixed it, bird brain. Chill."_

"_It wasn't broken!"_

"_Psh, doesn't mean it doesn't need fixing. That thing could have been made by Hammer! Trust me, it's much better now."_

_Surprisingly, that didn't seem to reassure the archer at all._

"_That doesn't mean you can just take it without permission! That bow is _important _to me, Tony!"_

_And, okay, Tony could totally see his point there, but he was still a Stark. As his father had always told him, Starks didn't apologize._

"_Whatever, man. You'll be thanking me once you've tried it."_

_For a moment, Tony thought Clint might actually explode from anger. It didn't make him feel much better when the archer suddenly smiled instead. Without saying another word to the genius, he backed out of the door and left. Tony sipped his coffee suspiciously and didn't dare leave. It was almost ten minutes later that Clint re-entered the kitchen, talking animatedly with Cap._

"_No way! That's crazy!" He turned to Tony, beaming as though he hadn't been yelling at him just minutes before. "Tony! Did you know your dad flew Steve across enemy lines on his first mission as Captain America? Talk about awesome! Say, can you pilot a plane?"_

It had been a low blow, one Clint knew was a sure-fire way to get under the genius's skin. Tony still felt a rush of anger just thinking back on it. He'd meant well, even if he'd gone about it the wrong way. There'd been no reason to bring his father into things. (And, just for the record, Tony Stark _could_ fly a plane…if he wanted to…he'd just never done so before.)

Luckily Steve, Clint's unwitting accomplice, figured out what was going on pretty quickly and put a stop to it. Tony had fled immediately to hide in his lab. He hadn't intended to come out for at least 12 hours, but life had other plans. The call for the Avengers to assemble had come in less than two hours later, just after 10AM.

Both Clint and Tony had been in sullen moods throughout the entire flight to Disney World where Loki was busy creating illusions of various villains from the classic movies and letting them run amuck. On any other day, Tony probably would have gotten a kick out of the whole thing and possibly even applauded Loki's efforts. As it was, he was too caught up in his anger to really care about anything else.

Still, he'd chastised himself, Clint had a point about Tony needing to ask permission before taking people's things. He'd been doing a lot of growing up since becoming Iron Man. Maybe it was time to be an adult and let this go. He didn't have to apologize, just not hold the fact that Clint had brought up Howard against the archer.

At the very least, it wasn't a decision he would have to make right away. Clint was a professional and the team was in the middle of a serious situation. There was no way Clint would let what had happened cause an even bigger problem in the middle of the fight…at least not for the first five minutes apparently.

_Tony spun through the air, doing a quick loop around an opponent before firing a repulsor into Captain Hook's back. The one-handed pirate disappeared in a cloud of smoke, much as it seemed any of them would do once hit. The issue didn't come from being hard to destroy, it was just that Loki kept making MORE of them._

_Steve's shield flew past to destroy Scar, who'd been leaping from on top of a building to attack Tony from behind. The inventor scooped it up and dropped it back off to its owner as he tackled the writhing mass of tentacles that was four individual Ursalas who had teamed up to cover each other's backs._

"_Thanks for the save, Capsicle."_

_Tony figured he owed the man some curtesy after how quickly he'd handled the situation that morning. He was almost feeling good about the situation before Clint's voice had cut across the coms._

"_Might want to check that shield, Cap. You never know what Stark might have done to it behind your back."_

_Tony had to grit his teeth to keep from making an angry retort. He took up repeating a mantra in his head of, 'You are an adult. You will not take his bait. You will let this go. You are an adult.' Maybe if he said it enough times, he'd actually feel like it was the truth._

What had followed throughout the fight was a series of jabs by Clint over the open coms. He criticized everything from Tony's battle strategies to his interactions with the other Avengers. The archer ignored any attempts by Steve or the others to get him to knock it off, even Natasha. Still, Tony could have handled it, (he'd been called worse, after all) except Clint had once again turned to the one sore spot that Tony would never be able to ignore.

"_Jesus, Stark! This bow is a piece of shit! I can hardly use it!" That was a lie, the archer was shooting even more targets than he normally did, using Tony's added features with abandon. "No wonder you Dad thought you were a failure!"_

_Tony distantly heard Steve yell at Clint to go back to the helicarrier, that he wasn't going to be needed for the rest of this fight, that they'd be having a long talk when they got back to the Tower. It didn't register in Tony's brain, though. Clint's last sentence was just playing over and over again in his mind. Rage coursed through his veins, wiping out any thoughts of letting things go or being an adult. If Clint could aim for sore spots, so could Tony._

_He switched on his repulsers and rocketed towards the sky where Loki and Thor were battling it out, leaving his own opponents behind. He pulled up right next to the pair, not even taking a moment to consider the repercussions of what he was about to do. His com link was left open. After all, it just wouldn't do if the others couldn't hear what was about to happen._

"_Mind if I cut in?"_

"_Friend Tony, I do not wish for you to do something fooli-"_

"_Not to worry! I just want to ask Frosty here a question. I promise it won't take long."_

_Loki was looking at him with one eyebrow raised, seeming intrigued._

"_Ask it, then. Perhaps, if you are lucky, I will even give you an answer."_

_A grin split across Tony's face, he was enjoying this already._

"_Want to get dinner with me tonight? I know this great Italian place I think you'd love."_

_The coms suddenly burst into an uproar, but Tony wasn't done yet. Oh, no, Clint deserved so much worse than that._

"_My, Stark, are you asking me on a date?"_

"_You bet your supervillain ass I am. How does seven sound? I'll pick you up at your evil lair?"_

_Amusement lit up Loki's face and he waved a hand, casually dismissing all of the illusions below._

"_My apartment will suffice, I think. I will send you my address…once SHIELD is not listening in, of course."_

And, okay, so Tony hadn't actually been expecting Loki to _agree_, but there was no way he was backing out after he did. He was Tony Stark, like Hell he was going to let someone call his bluff…even if he ended up dead.

Loki disappeared after agreeing to go on the date, so the battle was technically over. In the interest of avoiding a lecture from Steve, and probably everyone else, Tony had decided to fly off on his own and lock himself in the lab before any of the others could reach the Tower. He put the labs on lockdown and told JARVIS to hold any calls that didn't come from an Unknown number…or Loki. He wasn't really sure how the God intended to contact him.

At exactly four in the afternoon a ball of fire burst to life over Tony's desk, Tony himself toppling out of his chair with a shout of surprise. The simple note left in its place held an address and nothing else. Well, he hadn't known Loki could do that!

_Tony stared up at the high rise before glancing down to check the address in his hand. He wasn't sure what he'd been expecting Loki's apartment to look like, but it certainly wasn't this. This was clearly a place for people with money, and lots of it. In fact, Tony was pretty sure he owned a loft in Chicago that was in a pretty similar-looking building._

_The doorman opened the gold-plated door without hesitation, bobbing his head in Tony's direction to acknowledge him. As soon as the genius's foot hit the marble floor of the lobby, a man in a suit approached him with a smile._

"_Ah, Mr. Stark, what a pleasure to meet you. Mr. Smith informed us that you would be coming. I am Gustav, Head of Staff."_

_Tony smiled and chatted, letting the man lead him to the elevators and watching as he hit the button for the top floor. Loki lived in the penthouse, then, not bad. He supposed he shouldn't have expected any less from a prince. A voice in the back of Tony's head that sounded suspiciously like Natasha warned that this could still be a trap, but it just didn't seem like Loki's style._

_When the elevator reached the top floor, Gustav motioned for Tony to exit while making no move to do so himself. Apparently the elevator ran right into the apartment and only Gustav and Loki had the key to access it. The place was lavishly furnished, expensive furs thrown over the back of leather couches, vases that looked older that Tony's great-grandfather…It was all very Loki._

_As Tony was taking in the sights, the god in question appeared in the doorway of what Tony could only assume was a hallway that lead to the bedrooms. He was dressed impeccably in a long tailored suit with a green scarf. His hair was longer than it normally appeared and hung over one shoulder in a thick braid. Wire-rimmed glasses were perched on his nose and Tony couldn't help but smile._

"_Mr. Smith, I presume?"_

_A mischievous smirk crossed the other's face._

"_Please, call me Lyle."_

The memory of Loki's play on words still brought a smile to his face. He looked at his dining companion only to see that the god had one brow arched.

"It seems that I lost you there for a minute."

"Sorry, I was just thinking."

"I take it you didn't hear my question, then?"

"Uh…no…Mind repeating it?"

Loki snorted a laugh.

"Is it true you once built a bomb out of rubber bands, Midguardian confections, and household cleaners?"

Now it was Tony's turn to snort…right into his wine glass. He dabbed at his mouth with a napkin before answering.

"You mean that time Hammer _actually_ managed to kidnap me and demanded I make him weapons? He said he would bring me anything I needed, the idiot. I can't believe he really thought that would work."

"So you did build it, then?"

"Well, sure, had to get out of there somehow. I only used the rubber bands and the cleaners for the bomb, though. The Twinkies were to eat." He sent Loki a wink. "So, do you ever think about teaming up with Doom? There's been some talk of it around SHIELD, but I just don't see it happening."

"You'd be correct. The man is completely incapable of normal speech patterns, not to mention all of his plans leave holes in them the size of a Volstagg's stomach."

Tony didn't get the reference, but he laughed anyway. He knew what Loki meant.

"You're right about that. His plans never give us as much trouble as yours do."

"Resorting to flattery already, Stark? The main course hasn't even arrived yet."

"Not flattery. Fact." Tony leaned forward and looked Loki dead in the eye. "Your plans are perfectly designed to lead us right where you want us to go…well, almost perfectly, at least. We always seem to win out in the end."

Loki's smile was soft, and his gaze far away.

"Yes…you certainly seem to…"

"Anyway, you might want to try your hand as a consultant."

Loki's brows furrowed in confusion. Tony had to admit it was kinda cute.

"A consultant?"

"Yeah, like, other supervillains could hire you to plan their world domination plots or something…actually, never mind. Don't do that. That would make my life _so_ much more difficult."

"Oh, Stark…I do believe that would be rather the point."

Their conversation continued as their food came and they settled in to eat. Loki had gotten some seafood dish Tony couldn't pronounce the name of and he'd gotten Rigatoni alla Vodka. The only part of that he'd understood was Vodka, but it was apparently a pasta and sausage dish with tomato sauce. It was also delicious.

They were halfway through dessert before Loki asked a question that nearly made Tony drop his fork. He closed his eyes for a moment to regain control of himself. He normally didn't react so poorly, it was just that he hadn't been _expecting_ it. Loki immediately looked alarmed.

"My apologies. I shouldn't have asked."

Tony shook his head and set his utensil aside. One shaking hand rose to cover his chest where the Arc Reactor was. He'd worn a cover of it to conceal the light, but it still jutted out just a bit. His thumb traced the side in a stroking motion.

"No, no, it's alright. I just don't…talk about it much."

Loki inclined his head in acknowledgement, but didn't otherwise respond. His eyes followed the movement of Tony's hand.

"I, uh, I was captured by a group of terrorists a few years ago, back before Iron Man. Back then I sold weapons and, without my knowledge, they were also being sold to the enemy."

Good God, was he really talking about this? With _Loki?_ He didn't even talk to Bruce about this.

"During the attack, a missile went off near me. It was one that I made and it sent a whole bunch of tiny metal pieces into my chest. Another prisoner there saved my life by hooking a car battery up to a magnet and sticking it in my chest."

Loki had completely abandoned his own dessert, focusing his entire attention on the man across from him. If Tony didn't know better, he might of thought there was actually concern in his eyes.

"They wanted me to build weapons for them. When I refused, they tortured me." There was a tightening around Loki's mouth, but Tony knew that if he stopped talking now he wouldn't be able to start again. "They held me under water until I nearly drowned and then repeated the process before I could even catch my breath."

"But they did not kill you."

Loki's voice was soft, almost gentle, and Tony felt the corner of his mouth twitch upwards just a bit.

"No, they didn't. Eventually I agreed to build them the missile they wanted. Instead I built the miniaturized arc reactor and my first suit."

"And you escaped."

"Yeah…Yinsen, the man who was there with me, who saved my life, didn't make it. He didn't follow the plan!"

Tony knew he was getting mad, but he couldn't help it. Why couldn't Yinsen have just _waited?_ He could have gotten them both out of there! He knew he could have!

A cool hand reached across the table to rub soothing circles in the back of Tony's clenched fist. The genius blinked down at it in surprise before realizing Loki was comforting him. Then he blinked again from a whole new round of surprise.

"I pulled a prank for Thor almost four centuries ago. He was betrothed at the time to Lady Sif, a warrior woman of great status and skill. She was a friend of his and he had no desire to marry her. He asked me to help him…I turned her golden hair black as night and spread a rumor that she had been cursed by creatures of Helheim, making her a half-demon. Any man she lay with would fall under a spell that would bind them to her will."

The thumb on the back of Tony's hand continued to rub circles, but Loki's gaze was a thousand miles away.

"The All-Father, of course, figured out my trick, but it was too late. The fear had taken root in the hearts of the Aesir. They would no longer stand for Thor and Sif to be married, even when told the truth. Thor would not speak in my defense, too afraid of Odin's punishments."

Loki's voice turned bitter and, without thinking, Tony turned their hands so that it was now he rubbing soothing circles on Loki's. The god took a shuddered breath before continuing.

"My own children chose to speak in my defense, though I did not know of their plans until it was too late. If they had not associated themselves, perhaps…" He couldn't seem to find the words to continue. When he spoke again, it was with the start of a new sentence. "Odin decreed that my punishment would be the loss of my children. He banished them to the distant Realms, forbidding me from seeking them out. Now, though I am no longer under his thumb, I do not have the tools at my disposal with which to find them…"

Tony hadn't even known Loki had kids, but the shock of that didn't even scratch the surface of his mind. The pain on the god's face was so sharp, he knew Loki still felt the pain of his loss every single moment. In an instant, the genius was out of his chair and wrapping his arms around him. After stiffening initially, Loki relaxed into the hold. After a few moments of silence, Loki spoke again in much more controlled tones.

"I don't talk about that much, either."

"Well," Tony said, forcing a grin, "I think it's safe to say that both those stories sucked. I usually try and save the heavy stuff for the third date, at least."

After that, the mood had lightened a bit. Neither of them had the appetite to finish their desserts, but Tony figured he probably shouldn't be eating the calories anyway. (Between Pepper, Steve, and Bruce, hardly a day went by without a talk about how he needed to eat healthier.) Tony paid when the bill came, he was, after all, a gentleman, and they made it back to Loki's apartment without incident.

As he pulled up outside the high rise, Tony found himself fidgeting in his seat. For the first time in a long time that didn't involve a supervillain attack or a mountain of paperwork, Tony felt nervous. Loki, clearly noticing his behavior, smirked knowingly.

"Yes, Anthony? Something you wish to say?"

"Oh, it's Anthony now?"

"Well, we seem to have gotten familiar enough with each other for the change. Now, do not attempt to distract me."

Tony couldn't help grinning.

"I was just hoping, you know, that maybe we could do this again sometime."

Loki's smirk morphed into a smile and it was amazing how much it changed his face.

"I think I'd like that."

And then Loki leaned across the center console of Tony's car to press a quick kiss to his cheek. Before the genius could react, Loki was out of the car. His smirk was back in place.

"Do give Hawkeye my warmest regards, wouldn't you?"

Tony wore a matching smirk.

"Oh, believe me, it will be my pleasure."

A/N: Now, this is the part when I generally ask for reviews, so I know what I have done right and wrong and so I can improve. That is NOT what I am doing today…at least not for myself. There is an absolutely amazing FrostIron AU being posted called Coveted. In the four chapters that are up, I have become completely addicted. Please, please, PLEASE check this story out. (If she gets five reviews before the next scheduled update, she'll update early.) Fair warning: This story contains a relationship between an adult and a minor!

s/10554587/1/Coveted


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: Alright, alright. You can all thank PeaceHeather for the fact that this exists at all. Here's a morning after scene to accompany what I posted already.

Part Two

Tony awoke to JARVIS's usual spiel about the weather and pertinent news highlights. He groaned and rolled over, pressing his face further into his pillows, wanting nothing more than to go back to sleep. It wasn't often that Tony kept decent hours, so he felt he should be allowed to languish a little. Even on the nights he made it into bed before 4 AM he was back up by 8 or 9. He just wasn't much of a sleeper.

Last night he'd even managed to be in bed by midnight, meaning that he had a full eight hours under his belt by now. It hadn't been the first time Tony had snuck back into his own tower, but he really hadn't felt like dealing with the others at the time. He'd still been on cloud nine over his unexpectedly good date with Loki.

Thinking of the Avengers made Tony groan again before pushing himself up and scooting out of bed. No doubt they were driving themselves crazy by this point and he would have to face them eventually. He pulled on a pair of old sweatpants before padding out of his room barefoot and shirtless. Might as well go ahead and get this over with.

The communal Avengers kitchen was only two floors below his penthouse, but Tony still took the elevator. Forget stairs this early in the morning. As the elevator doors slid open, he was confronted by an absolute flurry of activity.

All of the Avengers were present, dressed in full uniform, along with several SHIELD agents. Tony recognized Coulson and Sitwell, but not the other one. It irked him to have someone he didn't know in his tower, but it looked like there was bigger fish to fry at the moment. Coulson was giving orders over the phone while the group poured over a number of documents spread across the table. Tony made a beeline for the coffee maker.

"So, uh, did I miss something?"

"Tony!"

The genius nearly sloshed hot coffee all over the counter as he found himself suddenly being hugged by none other than Bruce Banner. Since Bruce wasn't usually a very touchy person, Tony felt it was reasonable that his brain sort of short circuited. He stared at the other scientist dumbly, half-full coffee pot in one hand and the other paused in the process of reaching for a mug. Luckily, Bruce didn't seem to mind much as he pulled back to give Tony a once-over.

"You're alright, then? Any injuries?"

"Uh, no. Why would I be injured?"

Coulson peered over Bruce's shoulder, giving Tony an eye examination of his own.

"This is the first anyone has seen you since the fight yesterday and you _were_ scheduled to meet with Loki last night."

"We checked with JARVIS." Natasha chimed in. "You weren't here."

Tony shrugged nonchalantly and went back to pouring himself coffee.

"Of course not. I had a date."

When he looked up, it was to meet a room full of incredulous stares and an undercurrent of anger. Most of the anger seemed to be coming from Clint, unsurprisingly.

"You mean you actually _went?!_"

"It'd be kind of rude not to, don't you think? I mean, I did ask him out and I'm not in the habit of standing up my dates."

That response didn't seem to improve Clint's mood.

"_What?!_ This isn't some joke, Stark! This is serious!"

Coulson waved a hand, silencing the archer. Clint still glared in Tony's direction, but at least he wasn't shouting anymore. That was a plus. The genius wasn't so sure he liked the look in Coulson's eye, though.

"So you know where he has been staying."

"Well, I did have to pick him up."

Tony took a sip from his mug and grimaced at the taste. Who had brewed this crap? It tasted more like water than actual coffee. He turned to dump the remains of the cup in the sink, the rest of the pot soon following. He pulled the coffee maker towards him.

"Well?"

"Well, what? Oh, God! Did you guys brew this twice with the same grounds? No wonder it tasted so awful!"

He grabbed the over-used filter and threw it in trash, not even bothering to look up. He grabbed a new one and slipped it into place, immediately reaching for the bag of coffee beans and the grinder. Natasha appeared at his elbow to snatch the beans from his grasp. Her eyes were narrowed in a glare.

"Aren't you going to tell us where it is?"

Tony gave her his best confused look, one he'd worn for the press on many occasions, and snatched the bag back. He poured the beans into the grinder.

"Why would I do that?"

Before she had the chance to answer he pushed the button on the grinder, filling the kitchen with a loud whirling that would drown out any conversation. He knew he was pushing it, but it was just so rare to have something he could use to get under Natasha's skin. When the grinding stopped it was Thor who spoke, surprisingly enough.

"Friend Stark, you should tell us where my brother has been hiding. I do not know why you escaped your encounter with him last night unscathed, but I am sure it was just a way for him to stave off his boredom. Protecting him will gain you no favors."

Tony felt a rush on anger at the God of Thunder's words. Loki's tale about his children was still fresh in his mind and he couldn't bring himself to see his comrade quite the same way anymore. Maybe that had been Loki's plan all along but, if it was, it was working.

"I think he's had quite enough of people betraying his trust." He said with a glare before turning back to dump the ground coffee into the filter and pressing the button to start it percolating. "Besides, Loki being in SHIELD custody would really put a damper on our next date."

"You're going out with him _again?!"_ Tony rolled his eyes at the return on Clint's shouting. "Once wasn't enough to satisfy your ridiculous ego? If you're trying to punish me for yesterday morning then congratulations! We get it! You're Tony Stark and you do what you want!"

Tony snorted.

"You really think this is about my ego? Wow, birdbrain. You have an even lower opinion of me that I thought. This may have started out as a way to get back at you, but that ended about five minutes after picking him up." He felt a bit of a smile tug at his lips, pulling the corners upwards. "Loki's just…not that bad once you get to know him a little."

"Are you even _listening_ to yourself?"

This time it was Steve's hand on his shoulder that stopped Clint's tirade.

"Tony, we're just worried about you. Loki's dangerous and he has a history of messing with people's minds."

A glance at the coffee maker showed it wasn't nearly as far along as Tony wanted it to be. If he was going to have this conversation, he at least wanted coffee for it. He heaved a sigh and leaned one hip on the counter, fishing in the pocket of his sweatpants for his phone.

"Look, I get it. Loki tried to take over Earth, but when was the last time he actually _hurt_ anybody? Not since the first invasion, right?"

There were frowns all around the room and the SHIELD agent Tony didn't recognize piped up.

"He tries a new way to take over the world practically every week."

Tony shot the man a glare.

"Look…you. Loki does something ridiculous practically every week, but is there a single one of us who actually thinks any of these plans sounds like they're going to work? I mean, come on. Disney villains over running a theme park? Not exactly the most dastardly plan if you ask me. And besides, nobody has gotten hurt by Loki in ages!"

Bruce and Coulson, at least, were looking thoughtful. Cap's scowl, though, was only getting deeper.

"He broke Doom's arm not two months ago, Tony. And have you forgotten what he did to Skurge the last time he and Amora showed up?"

Tony grinned in triumph as he succeeded in finding his phone and pulled it from his pocket before turning back to the Captain.

"Yeah, okay. You have a point. But when was the last time he hurt someone who was _innocent?_ And injuries inflicted by falling objects don't count. It's hardly under his control if Hulk throws him into a building."

There was no immediate uproar from the room, which Tony took to be a good sign. He gave them all a bit of an encouraging smile.

"I'm not saying he's a saint and I'm certainly not saying we should just disregard him as a threat. I just think it's something to look into."

Silence reigned in the room and, instead of having to look at them and face their judgment, Tony tapped away at his phone. He pulled up a new message window.

'_The team's being as annoying as expected. You are so lucky you don't have roommates.'_

He glanced up from sending the message to spot Coulson leaving the room, his own phone pressed to his ear. He paused in issuing orders to wave the other two SHIELD agents after him. Either he was actually taking Tony seriously or he was moving them out of the way for a strike team to come take Tony down. At this point, either option was viable. Luckily, the coffee was finally brewed, so the genius had more important things to think about.

"Tony."

He glance up from pouring his mug to meet Steve's imploring gaze.

"Are you seriously considering this?"

"Look, all I know is that actually having a civil conversation with that guy changed a lot about the way I see him. Could he be playing me? Sure, but I don't think so. At the very least, not the whole time."

Natasha was watching him closely, giving him that analytical look she often gave prisoners they were interrogating. He at least knew her well enough to know it wasn't personal. She was just trying to figure out the truth of the situation.

"What do you mean? What makes you so sure?"

He sipped his coffee, much better than the last batch, and thought about her question. What _was_ it that made him so sure? His phone buzzed in his hand to signify an incoming message.

'_Have they accused you of being mind controlled yet? If not, they are dumber than I had thought.'_

His lips twitched in a smile.

"It's just…He's different. His whole demeanor changed. And some of the things he talked about…he wouldn't have done that for an act."

'_Not in so many words. It has come up, though.'_

Thor was frowning at him deeply when he looked up from his phone again.

"What did my brother speak of that has you so convinced?"

Tony still wasn't feeling too happy with the big blonde and couldn't resist the urge to throw something out there he knew would hurt. (Which was really rather stupid of him, considering that's how this whole thing started. But whatever. Clint was right, he did what he wanted.)

"His kids."

If nothing else, Thor's dumbfounded expression made the whole interrogation routine worth it. Tony would have drank the entire pot of twice brewed coffee just to see that look on his face.

"My brother never talks about his children…"

Thor's voice sounded so lost that Tony almost felt sorry for him, but not quite. His phone buzzed again.

"Maybe that's because their grandfather banished them and their uncle abandoned them to their fate. Seems like family's a pretty touchy subject for him and I honestly can't blame him."

'_Thank goodness for that, at least. Do you require assistance?'_

Maybe that was a little harsh, but no one could say Thor didn't deserve it at least a little. Tony seriously doubted Loki would have talked to him about what he'd done and, from what he'd heard, it wasn't like anyone else on Asgard would have cared enough to. A wake up call was long overdue.

"What are you saying, Stark?"

Clint's tone wasn't as accusatory as it could have been, which Tony took as a good sign. He'd always had a soft spot for kids.

"I just think that maybe he has reasons for what he's done. If we could understand them, maybe…I don't know."

"Maybe you can bring Loki over to the light side of the Force?"

Bruce looked dubious, but Tony grinned at his reference.

"Oh, Brucie-bear, I knew there was a reason you were my favorite. But Loki's more Han Solo than Darth Vader. He's misguided, not evil. I mean, Vader wasn't really evil in the end, but you get what I mean."

To cover his rambling, he turned back to his phone again.

'_I'd rather not have to go on the run. Being a fugitive is so inconvenient. But I wouldn't mind a little company if you wanted to hang out.'_

He didn't realize how stupid that sounded until after he sent the message. Him and Loki. Hanging out. Right. He'd be lucky if he heard from Loki again after that. He sighed heavily. What was he, a teenage girl?

A strong hand landing on his shoulder startled Tony from his thoughts. Steve was looking down at him with a hint of a smile on his face.

"We trust you, Tony. This may be…a little odd, but if you think all Loki needs is someone to be there for him, then I think it's worth a shot. I know the difference that just having a friend can make in someone's life. And if Loki needs someone to count on, he couldn't find someone better."

Tony's jaw dropped as he stared at the Captain. If he'd predicted an outcome for this little talk, it certainly wouldn't have been with Captain America giving him a glowing recommendation for his friendship. It wasn't quite as good as having his Dad say he was proud, but it still brought a warmth to his chest. Not that he was going to let Steve know that.

Luckily, he was saved from having to answer by the elevator dinging to announce a new arrival. With sleep-mussed hair and wearing nothing but pajama bottoms and one of Tony's band shirts, Loki shuffled into their midst. He didn't even glance at the assembled team on his way to snag Tony's mug of coffee and take a long sip. He made a face before setting it aside on the counter.

"That's atrocious."

"Oh, my God! You _slept_ with him?! _Here_?!"

A wicked grin stretched across Loki's face as he spun to look at the archer.

"Ah, Agent Barton…Such a pleasure to see you again. Doing well, I hope?"

Clint went so red Tony thought he might explode. He figured it might be a good moment for a subject change.

"So, uh, not a big coffee person I take it?"

Loki wrinkled his nose.

"Decidedly not. Now," he addressed the team as a whole, "I would like to clarify that I have not taken over Anthony's mind, nor do I plan to. This is not a piece of some elaborate plot I have to rule your pathetic realm. Any further questions may be put forth at a later time." His gaze slid to the side to meet Tony's with a mischievous gleam. "It would seem I have plans for the day."

Tony couldn't hold back the grin that split his face, but it was quickly wiped off as Loki wrapped an arm around his waist and threw him over one shoulder. And, okay, that was _way_ hotter than it should be.

"Woah, woah! Hey! Put me down! You can't just manhandle me in my own house!"

Loki ignored his yelling as the god grabbed the handles of Tony's mug and the pot of coffee in one hand before turning back towards the elevator.

"I'm bringing the coffee."

"…Proceed."

Tony managed to keep up his bored expression as Loki carted him past the dumbfounded expressions of his teammates and into the elevator. As soon as the doors closed, though, he was roaring with laughter. Loki let him slide gently off the god's shoulder and back onto his feet, chuckling right along with him.

"Oh, man! Did you see their faces?! You, my friend, are an utter genius."

Loki smirked at him while raising an imperious eye brow.

"Oh, am I just a friend now, Anthony? And here I thought we had something special."

He placed a hand to his chest and gave Tony the fakest expression of hurt the billionaire had ever seen. This set off a whole new round of laughter and he'd barely gotten himself under control by the time the doors slid open to reveal his penthouse. He grinned at Loki as they proceeded inside.

"Seriously, though, how'd you get here?"

The god just shrugged.

"Teleportation has its usefulness. You mentioned wanting to hang out?"

"Yeah, I was thinking movie marathon. Do you like pizza?"

"I can't say I've ever had it."

"What? No. Not acceptable. JARVIS, order us up a variety. Ray's Original, not the Original Ray's crap."

"Of course, sir. Would you like me to get a movie going?"

Tony scratched his chin in thought before looking slyly at his companion.

"Yeah…You know what, put on Star Wars. Episode IV. Come on, Lokes. It's about time you learned the ways of the Jedi."

Loki huffed his amusement but followed him to the couch. As they flopped down beside each other and the opening credits began, Tony couldn't help but think that things had turned out pretty well. Maybe Cap was right. Maybe he could be just the person Loki needed. At the very least, he was going to try.

A/N: I hope you all enjoyed!


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: So, after all the positive responses I got, I decided to extend this story. It will now become a full, chaptered fic. It won't be updated as often as my other fics, but it will come out decently often! (Especially now that I'm giving it an actual plot.) I hope you enjoy!

Part Three

Somehow, Tony had wound up draped across Loki's lap. They'd started off their movie marathon side by side, but Tony was never very good at staying still and they weren't even half-way through Episode IV before he'd started migrating into odder and odder positions. By the time Luke was attempting to take down the Deathstar in his X-Wing, Tony's chest was pressed into Loki's thighs and the god was tracing lazy patterns across his back.

It was a testament to how many times Tony had seen this particular movie that he knew exactly what was going on even with his eyes closed. It was just that Loki's fingers along his spine were so _relaxing_. The genius had never been much one for prolonged contact with others, but there was something about the lackadaisical motions that lulled him into a state of peace.

"Anthony."

Loki's cool voice came from what seemed like a great distance and the inventor couldn't seem to build up the energy to respond. When his name was repeated, he merely wrinkled his nose as answer. The touch along his back vanished, instead replaced by an irritating poking to the side of his face. He cracked one eye open laboriously and rolled his head to glare balefully up at the God.

"Whaddyou want?"

Loki smirked at his slurred voice, smug amusement dancing across his face.

"You were falling asleep."

"Yeah? So?"

He rolled over, not leaving Loki's lap as he rubbed tiredly at his eyes. It was apparently going to be one of those days when all his lack-of-sleep started catching up with him. He blamed Loki and those damned, talented hands of his.

"It is nearly the end of the movie. You must choose the next one."

Apparently he wasn't going to complain about Tony using his lap as his own, personal pillow. Good. Tony wasn't planning on moving anyway.

"You pick."

"Very well. I choose Episode I."

Tony rolled his eyes, sighing heavily. He'd had this same problem with Steve the first time he'd shown the Super Soldier Star Wars.

"Look, just because it's Episode I doesn't mean you have to watch it first. The series is designed so that you-"

"Peace, Anthony." The god cut him off. "I am familiar with the series and how it works. I simply like Episode I the best."

Suddenly Tony was wide awake, giving Loki a look that could only be described as half shock and half glare.

"Oh, my God…You really are a supervillain…"

Loki looked decidedly unimpressed.

"Do not presume to judge me, mortal."

"The Hell I won't! You like Episode I the best out of the entire Star Wars series! What is _wrong_ with you?"

The god just shrugged, the motion seeming strange coming from him. The odd thought that prince's shouldn't shrug crossed Tony's mind.

"The actor who portrays the young Obi Wan is decidedly attractive."

That had Tony laughing all over again, something Loki had him doing surprisingly often. What did it say about him that his sense of humor aligned best with a would-be conqueror of the world?

"Alright, alright. I'll give you that…but I'm still not watching that damn movie. Pick something else."

Loki appeared to think about it, his hand drifting to trace aimless patterns on Tony's abdomen now that his back was out of reach. He was at least conscious enough not to get close to the arc reactor. The genius wasn't sure how he would have reacted to that.

"Have you The Lord of the Rings?"

"Tolkien? Seriously? Could you have _worse_ taste in movies?"

Loki frowned at him.

"What is wrong with Tolkien? I thought his works popular amongst your people."

"Well, yeah. _I_ just don't like them. I mean, jeez, how many words do you need to describe something? I don't need to know the history of every single tree and rock they walk past! Don't get me wrong, the movies aren't that bad. It's just that every time I watch them I'm reminded of the books."

Loki arched an elegant brow.

"History is important, Anthony. Every piece of it plays a part in what present holds. Without it, there can be no future."

Tony just rolled his eyes.

"Well, aren't you just feeling philosophical today?"

Loki pinched him, but he was quick to rub the area soothingly right after.

"Very well. If you do not approve of my choice in movie, then I suggest you choose the next one. Be warned, though, that I am not a fan of pointless action and explosions."

Tony let his eyes fall shut again, shifting a bit to get more comfortable. He was kind of surprised they'd managed to go this long without an interruption from at least one of the Avengers. That was probably Cap's doing, what with his belief in the power of friendship and what not. He certainly did seem to be proving his worth quite a bit lately.

"Nah, it's cool. Jarv, load up the first Lord of the Rings movie, extended edition. I'm gonna end up falling asleep by the time we get to Bilbo's party anyway."

The A.I. obligingly did as he was told, skipping over previews and the start menu to dive straight into the film. Both Tony and Loki stayed silent as the movie began, Tony because he was quickly falling asleep and Loki for…whatever reason that Tony didn't know, probably because he was actually watching the movie.

The genius, billionaire, playboy, philanthropist slipped into a state of being half awake and half asleep. He was somewhat aware of what was going on around him, but his dreams still ruled his perception. At some point he had moved closer to the god, his face pressing in to the other's abdomen. Loki had shifted to running his fingers through Tony's hair and the man wanted nothing more than to melt into a pile of goo on the couch. Shouldn't he have survival instincts about this sort of thing?

Well, if he did (Pepper would probably firmly insist that he didn't) then he was going to ignore them completely. Loki's fingers felt nice in his hair and Lord of the Rings was actually kind of pleasant to fall asleep to. Besides, naps were always the best. He should take more of those, especially couch naps. Those were awesome.

He dimly registered the sounds of Sean Bean dying yet another tragic death in the background as his thoughts drifted back to the god basically petting him. How long had it been since Loki was able to interact with another person so casually? Somehow, Tony didn't think he had a lot of friends to hang out with here on Earth. Granted, that was probably more Loki's choice than anything else, but still.

There was always a reason, with people like himself and Loki, that they didn't hang out with others. Tony had been lucky, he'd had Pepper and Rhodey and Happy around during the whole incident with Stane. They were probably the only reasons he even had the ability to trust another person anymore. And the team helped too, whatever difficulties they encountered. Tony wasn't as close to them as he was to his other three best friends, but he knew he could trust them. For Tony, that meant a lot.

He doubted Loki really trusted anyone. His father and brother had betrayed or abandoned him over and over again. He'd discovered that his entire life was a lie and his birth family had apparently left him to die in a frozen wasteland. His trust issues probably had trust issues.

It was a hard way to live, that much was for sure. Tony knew what it was like to always sleep with one eye open, and it was exhausting. Maybe the Aesir, or Jotuns, weren't human, but they were still social creatures, Tony was pretty sure. They needed contact with other beings just like anyone else. Maybe that was why Loki was so receptive of Tony's attention; it'd been so long that he was deprived.

Without being gooey or feelings-oriented or any of that crap, Tony had to admit that he felt bad for the guy. They'd only been hanging out for a short time, but it was clear Loki had a hard life. He'd had centuries of betrayal under his belt, most of which made Tony's own experiences pale in comparison. It seemed logical that the guy would be a little off his rocker after that.

His mind turned back to what Loki had said the night before, about his kids. Who was their mother? How many did he have? What were they like? Tony could vaguely remember some mention of Loki having kids in the ancient Norse legends, but he'd never been interested enough to pay attention. He hadn't actually looked at any of them since he was a kid, something he should probably get around to doing again.

He shifted his head just a bit to peak up at Loki's face, the god either ignoring him or oblivious to his gaze. A faint light from the television flickered across his face as the movie played out. His expression was impassive, maybe even a bit content, but it didn't give much away. Tony imagined the look on his face the night before, when he'd spoken of his children being cast out.

His pain was real, that much Tony was completely sure of. He missed his kids. Tony didn't have any kids of his own, obviously, and Howard hadn't been the best of parents, but the genius was pretty damn positive that having your kids taken from you was like having a part of your own body removed. Loki probably never made it through a day without thinking about them. It kind of made Tony wonder how he did it, how he smiled and laughed like he had earlier that morning. The genius had to admire that kind of strength.

Tony reached up to pat the side of Loki's face in order to get his attention. The motion was made a tad bit awkward given their positions, but Tony made it work. On screen, the Fellowship was walking somewhere. (Tony assumed, he didn't actually check but he figured it was still a safe bet.) Loki turned his gaze to the inventor in his lap, hand leaving the brunette hair he'd still been stroking.

"Hey," Tony said, grinning.

Loki looked unimpressed and it was starting to get discouraging how often that was his reaction to whatever Tony said. Tony impressed _everyone_, dammit, even prissy, alien gods who tried to pretend otherwise.

"Hello."

At least he was playing along, that was positive, right?

"So, I had an idea."

"Is that uncommon for you? I suppose I have been over-estimating your mortal brain."

Tony snorted, seeing the comment as the friendly teasing it was and not true mockery.

"Shut up. I was thinking, we should go on an adventure."

Loki looked skeptical, so Tony plowed onwards, sitting up and twisting around so he could get a better look at the god. He hoped his hair wasn't a mess. That was never good when you were trying to convince someone to trust you.

"I'm serious. It'll be like Frodo taking the ring to Mordor except less stupid and also less impactful on the fate of the world."

"I'm not sure I know where you're going with this."

"We," Tony gestured back and forth between them, knowing from many board meetings that visual aids could be very helpful, "as in the two of us, should go out. Take some names. Kick some ass. Maybe pick up some new companions to join our rag-tag group." His eyes lit up and he snapped his fingers and a brilliant thought occurred to him. "We could bring Clint! He can be our Legolas!"

"Oh, yes, I'm sure he would absolutely jump at the opportunity."

Loki's tone said he was obviously just humoring Tony, and the genius did not appreciate it. This was serious, dammit. He was pretty sure Loki would be rolling his eyes if he'd been born on Earth. Tony frowned at him. (Definitely _not_ pouting, for the record. Tony Stark did not pout, no matter what Pepper or Rhodey said. They were dirty, dirty liars and no one should listen to them.) A few moments of silence passed before Loki sighed.

"What kind of adventure did you have in mind?"

The grin that split Tony's face almost hurt, but he schooled it back into a serious expression. He didn't want this to come off as a joke, because it really wasn't. It was a big deal, and despite only just thinking of it, Tony knew it was exactly the right thing. If this was a trick, if Loki was playing him, then so be it because Tony was about to fall right into his trap.

"Loki…I want to help you find your kids."

The god just stared at him with an expression Tony had only ever seen before on Natasha. It wasn't shocked, not like a normal person, but it was like his entire face had frozen, poker mask nailed in place over inner turmoil. Tony bit his lip, hoping he didn't just over step a bound and offend the god. As ever when a situation started becoming awkward, the genius took it as his cue to start rambling.

"I mean, if you want me to, of course. I don't want to push my help on you or anything. It's just that last night you said that you didn't have the resources to find them and, well, you know, I've got a Hell of a lot of resources. I don't even know anything about your kids so maybe I'm not actually the best person to help you, but I figured it couldn't hurt, right? And I know the team would jump on the chance, especially Cap. He'd be thrilled to be able to help, what with his moral righteousness and everything. And Clint loves kids, even if he has a problem with you he wouldn't let that get in the way and he's really good at finding people. I mean he found Natasha back when she worked for the KGB and that was supposed to be next to impossible and he was supposed to be killed but she was only a kid herself at the time so he disobeyed orders and brought her back to S.H.I.E.L.D. and that's kinda my whole point, that he likes kids. And-"

"_Anthony._"

Loki's voice sounded a bit strange, tense. His expression was tight, not letting anything through, but his eyes remained expressive. Emotion roiled behind them, pain and hope and wariness all at the same time. His hands were clasped together in his lap, the image at odds with the fact that he still wore sleep pants and one of Tony's band tees.

"Yeah?"

"To go after my children would be an extremely dangerous endeavor. I cannot ask that of you."

Tony just grinned and leaned over to bump his shoulders with the god.

"Duh, that's why I offered. Besides, what are friends for if not to help you get your kids back after your douche of a father banished them?"

Loki snorted a laugh, his head falling forward so that his hair fell in a curtain around his face. Tony was tactful enough not to say anything and give him a moment to process. On the screen, Frodo was talking to Gandalf in the dwarf city. He kept his eyes on the screen in order to offer Loki some privacy. He hated it when other's caught him in an emotional time. Finally, Loki drew a deep breath and lifted his head, catching Tony's gaze once more.

"Your assistance in these matters would be appreciated. I would owe you a great debt."

Tony shook his head.

"I didn't offer it so you'd owe me, Loki."

The god bobbed his head in understanding.

"I know. But I would owe it none the less."

Tony didn't think he'd be able to stand it if any more emotions started to fly around the room so he pasted a wry grin across his face and clapped his hands eagerly.

"Well, we can discuss that once we've actually managed to get your kids back. Let's get started, shall we? Jarv, pull up that map of the Nine Realms I've been working on with Point Break. I also want you to alert the team, put out a request for anyone who's interested but make sure they know it's an optional thing." He glanced at Loki. "If that's alright with you. Extra hands could come in handy, but I get it if you don't want them involved."

Loki seemed to think this over for a bit, and Tony let him. He wasn't sure he'd be too crazy about having a team of his very recent enemies learning about the most painful time of his life. If Von Doom came to him and said he'd like to help Tony find and take down the Ten Rings…well, all Tony would smell was a trap. But he and Loki had a kind of rapport, he liked to think, and maybe that would be enough to offset the balance. He'd help Loki on his own if he needed to; it wasn't that much of a problem, but a little extra help certainly wouldn't go amiss.

"The assistance of your teammates would also be appreciated." Loki gave in, "_However_, my debt shall be to you and you alone."

Tony shrugged and nodded. That seemed reasonable, even though he really wished Loki would stop bringing up this debt thing because he really wasn't doing this so the god would owe him and the thought of it kind of made him uncomfortable.

"Sure thing, Frosted Flakes. You heard the man, Jarvis. Get a move on."

"At once, Sir. Notices have already been sent to the other Avengers, each tweaked slightly to appeal to their individual tastes. Would you like me to contact Dr. Foster for her expertise in the area?"

Pride bubbled up in Tony's chest as his baby went to work. If he did have children, he imagined it would feel something like this.

"Good thinking, buddy. Do it, but I don't want to give her the exact reasoning for her involvement just yet. Let's keep our guest's business as much his own as we can."

Loki shot him a grateful look, and Tony couldn't help but grin. Whatever the media thought, he really could act like a decent human being every once in a while. He wasn't about to go spreading what Loki had told him around to just anybody. Granted, Thor was probably going to tell her anyway, but that put blondie on Loki's shit list and not Tony. So it was still a win.

"Certainly, Sir. Shall I create a new file?"

"Yeah. Secure server, my personal one should do, but bury it deep. I want this as far out of S.H.I.E.L.D. hands as possible. There's nothing we can do about Nat and Clint, but I don't think they'll go spilling any secrets right off the bat. If they can't deal with keeping it from S.H.I.E.L.D. after that then they can fuck off."

Tony wasn't about to go through all this trouble of befriending Loki and trying to get his kids back just for some self-important government agency to swoop in and mess it all up. S.H.I.E.L.D. was always a bit too nosy for their own good, but they needed to stay out of this one and Tony knew Fury would just jump at the chance to get his hands on something he could use against the god.

"What would you like me to title the document, Sir?"

Tony thought for a moment, neither 'Fury's a Dick' nor 'Fuck the All-Father' seemed very mature despite being his first two choices. Besides, he was pretty sure he was already using the one about Fury as the communal Avengers grocery list.

Loki leaned forward, eyes cast up at the ceiling before flickering back down to Tony. A small smirk adorned his face.

"If I may make a suggestion…?"

Tony motioned for him to proceed.

"How about…Project FrostIron."

A/N: So what did you think? Still interested in seeing more? Let me know in a review!


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